0:00:06 > 0:00:10In a wood in Woking lies a small plot of land that
0:00:10 > 0:00:13speaks of forgotten heroism.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20This was once the final resting place for 27 men
0:00:20 > 0:00:24who gave their lives to fight for Britain in two world wars.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30But their story didn't start here.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33For the men who were buried here were all Muslims.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Many came from 3,000 miles away in rural India,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44yet fought in lands they'd barely heard of
0:00:44 > 0:00:49and gave their lives for a country they'd never even stepped foot in.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55This is the tale of two unassuming pioneers.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00A Surrey history enthusiast and a Muslim council worker,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and their five year battle to restore
0:01:02 > 0:01:06this Muslim burial ground to its former glory.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Goodness, I'm so excited!
0:01:10 > 0:01:12To see what I'd always hoped to see,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16the sun glinting on the finial again.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18And their search to uncover the lives of the men who were
0:01:18 > 0:01:20laid to rest here,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24and the descendents they left behind.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29I'd like to go and pray at Sikander Khan's father's grave.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Just to think about how he would have actually felt
0:01:32 > 0:01:36when he heard the news of his son's death thousands of miles away.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40It's a story of a struggle to bring to life a patch of England
0:01:40 > 0:01:43that speaks of a shared heritage...
0:01:46 > 0:01:47..of common values.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52We remember those whom you have gathered from the storm of war...
0:01:52 > 0:01:57And a world in which Muslims weren't seen as enemies of the West,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01but comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice for its freedom.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19It's an ordinary Wednesday in Woking.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22But in one corner of this Surrey town,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26preparations are underway for a day that's been long anticipated.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28How's it going?
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Hey, that's better.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Tomorrow is the opening ceremony of the Woking Peace Garden.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39The gates are looking good, I think, yeah?
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Ah, it's lovely.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44In 24 hours, this space will be filled
0:02:44 > 0:02:46with an unlikely group of people.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51A royal prince, members of the military,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Imams and Muslims from all walks of life,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58all gathering to remember the lives of 27 Muslim men.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04- These are the badges you need. - Excellent. Thank you very much.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And for Zafar Iqbal of Woking Borough Council
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and Elizabeth Cuttle of Horsell Common Preservation Society,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14it's the fruit of five years of hard work.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It's looking beautiful, actually, isn't it?
0:03:24 > 0:03:26- What a transformation.- Yeah, yeah.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- Do you remember when we first saw it?- I know.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Who would have thought?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34In fact, today marks the final chapter
0:03:34 > 0:03:37of a story that began 100 years ago.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44This plot of land was first made into a cemetery
0:03:44 > 0:03:46for Muslim soldiers in 1917.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52The central feature of this garden is the memorial stone.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56There are 27 soldiers altogether,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and they are the actual focal point of this garden.
0:04:01 > 0:04:0519 of the men remembered here died in the First World War.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Many of whom had never before left their hometowns,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and had no idea of where they were going.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19We knew very little about these people when we started off.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23And it's very pleasing to know at least, for some of them,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27we've been able to find where they came from, who their families
0:04:27 > 0:04:32are, and what type of people they might have been at that time.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40The story of the restoration of this small English garden is one
0:04:40 > 0:04:42which has echoes across the world.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Mahrup Shah was a soldier in the 129 Baluchis.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55We know that these men served in the Western Front
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and though we don't know the life stories
0:04:58 > 0:05:03of those particular individuals, we know enough about the people
0:05:03 > 0:05:07who travelled with them, felt with them, fought with them,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10in order to partly
0:05:10 > 0:05:13reconstruct what could have gone through their minds.
0:05:18 > 0:05:234th August, 1914, Britain declared war on Germany.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Six weeks later, the first contingents of troops
0:05:28 > 0:05:31from British India, from a dozen different religions,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34arrived in the port of Marseilles.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38The British Indian Army became a mighty resource
0:05:38 > 0:05:43because the British Army very much underestimated
0:05:43 > 0:05:48the manpower and the firing power of the Germans, and Britain
0:05:48 > 0:05:55simply couldn't recruit fast enough, so the figures are quite staggering.
0:05:55 > 0:06:01Overall, the British Indian army contributed 1.45 million men.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07The 129 Baluchis - the regiment in which Mahrup Shah served -
0:06:07 > 0:06:10was one of the first to arrive in France.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15And for men who were largely recruited from poor,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19rural areas of northern India, it was a complete culture shock.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24For someone like Mahrup Shah, coming to France must have been
0:06:24 > 0:06:27an extraordinary experience because as they arrived
0:06:27 > 0:06:31in Marseilles there were the local people lining up the street and
0:06:31 > 0:06:35cheering the Indian soldiers, so they almost felt like heroes.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43It would have been almost kind of a sense of wonder.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46One sepoy writes that France is like a fairyland
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and that each house is a sample of paradise.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56But once they reached the front line, wonder turned to horror.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Let's not forget the First World War is one where warfare becomes
0:07:04 > 0:07:06completely mechanised.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11These Indian soldiers are not trained for that mechanised warfare.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16When you're first confronted with that,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19that leads to a very deep-seated shock.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23In the earlier stages of the war,
0:07:23 > 0:07:29the trenches were not more than shallow ditches and, as a result,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33German weaponry just kind of tears into their bodies.
0:07:37 > 0:07:43You have haunting accounts of the churning of the dead,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47the idea of having to share a space where the dead were
0:07:47 > 0:07:49literally underground.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52An explosion might churn the dead and bring them back up.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04No one knows exactly how Mahrup Shah died.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09But over 3,500 men of the 129 Baluchis
0:08:09 > 0:08:11lost their lives in the Great War.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Zafar's Iqbal's fascination with the Muslim burial ground
0:08:25 > 0:08:28began as a child, growing up in Woking.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32We used to visit the woods,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36take a football, even a bicycle and play around it, really.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Hide and seek and things like that, you know?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42We were told that at that time
0:08:42 > 0:08:45it was Muslim soldiers who were buried there.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Other than that, really, we didn't understand what it actually meant.
0:08:52 > 0:08:58Since the 1960s, the burial ground had fallen into a state of disrepair.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Paul Rimmer is the estate manager for Horsell Common,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06who own the land on which the burial site was built.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Each time I come over here
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and I see further damage to the structure
0:09:12 > 0:09:15or graffiti on the walls,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17I feel very sad that it's being
0:09:17 > 0:09:20neglected and abused in this way.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Because of its remote location
0:09:24 > 0:09:28it's been a bit of a hideaway for youngsters having drinks parties.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The brickwork has been severely vandalised...
0:09:35 > 0:09:38..the ornate arches and the Portland stone capping
0:09:38 > 0:09:41have all been removed or destroyed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48The burial ground was in danger of disappearing forever.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51But for Zafar, the story it told of a shared heritage
0:09:51 > 0:09:54was too important to lose.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57To me, as a Muslim, I think it's very important
0:09:57 > 0:10:00to understand that the people who gave their lives
0:10:00 > 0:10:03were part of the British Empire at that time,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and they gave their lives for the King and the country.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I think that's important not just for the Muslim community
0:10:11 > 0:10:15but for the wider community to understand of our shared histories.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21With the centenary of World War One approaching, Zafar saw
0:10:21 > 0:10:26an opportunity to breathe new life into this historic site.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29And in 2011, he applied for funding.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31One afternoon in February,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35I took a phone call from Zafar and he said he'd just heard
0:10:35 > 0:10:39from English Heritage and that they would be prepared
0:10:39 > 0:10:44to give us an 80% grant to fund the restoration.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46And at the end of the phone call, when I put the phone down,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50I was dancing round the room because I then realised
0:10:50 > 0:10:55it was going to be possible. We're going to get it done after all.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Elizabeth Cuttle was assigned to
0:10:57 > 0:11:00the restoration project, to work with Zafar.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04And Woking Borough Council agreed to fund the shortfall.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10A week before building is due to begin, the duo are visiting
0:11:10 > 0:11:13the site to take stock of the enormity of the challenges ahead.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19The ground's already been cleared of undergrowth,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21but it's still in a state of neglect.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24That's how the bricks are going to look when it's all been cleaned.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26There's more graffiti in the chattri,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and some people have been carving their names.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31I don't think you did, did you, Zafar?
0:11:31 > 0:11:32Did you carve your name?
0:11:32 > 0:11:34No, I didn't, actually!
0:11:35 > 0:11:38The project will be in two phases.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42The first is to restore the fabric of the site.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46If you look up there, you can see the remains of a finial.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51It was about four foot high and it was gilded.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53And it's going to restored to as it was,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55so it'll be quite stunning.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57You'll be able to see it from the road, this shining
0:11:57 > 0:12:00finial at the top of the dome.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Once the structure is restored,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06a garden will be planted to make it a place of contemplation.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11You have this feeling of some sort of spirituality about the place
0:12:11 > 0:12:15which I can't pin down, but you actually do get that feeling
0:12:15 > 0:12:17when you're actually standing in here
0:12:17 > 0:12:19of those people's spirits maybe
0:12:19 > 0:12:23somehow are still linked to this place.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26I think I feel when they lay here they were at rest.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29They'd suffered on the Western Front.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33And so here it was all over and they were at peace.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43The soldiers' peace is interrupted by the arrival of the scaffolders.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48And as summer draws to an end, the site is shut down so work can begin.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Sarmast was in the 57th Wilde's rifles.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03They were the first Indian unit to enter the trenches
0:13:03 > 0:13:07on the Western Front, and almost immediately were in action.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14The 57th Rifles were involved in one of the most terrifying
0:13:14 > 0:13:17attacks of the war, the 2nd Battle of Ypres.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23It was the moment when the Germans unleashed a new and deadly weapon...
0:13:26 > 0:13:28..with horrifying effect.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35I think what makes gas such a lethal weapon is that you can't
0:13:35 > 0:13:40actually see it and it corrodes the body from inside.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46And remember that the gas masks were not that advanced, and many of them
0:13:46 > 0:13:49didn't even have gas masks at that point.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53And what these poor soldiers do is to take off their turbans
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and then urinate on them
0:13:56 > 0:14:00and hold it against their noses to combat some of the effects of gas.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07560 of the 57th rifles were involved in the attack.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Over half were killed or injured.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16The chances are that Sarmast was one of those who received
0:14:16 > 0:14:18a punishing amount of gas.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It will have destroyed his lung tissue,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25it will have partially blinded him.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28And it would have rendered him completely incapable as a soldier.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38Many of the wounded Indian soldiers were sent to hospitals set up
0:14:38 > 0:14:41especially for them on the South Coast of England.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47The most famous was the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51And it wasn't only designed to care for the men's medical conditions,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53but for their religious needs.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56The provisions were excellent.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00For example, there were three water taps for the three separate
0:15:00 > 0:15:05religious communities - the Sikhs, the Hindus, and the Muslims.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09And there were nine kitchens to accord not just with religions
0:15:09 > 0:15:12but with caste distinctions.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16And there were very good reasons behind the British drive
0:15:16 > 0:15:17to accommodate the soldiers.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23It was imperative for the British war effort
0:15:23 > 0:15:25that India was kept on side.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Without the Indian soldiers,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Britain would have effectively lost the war.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39Sarmast died on the 22nd July 1915.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43And it was to deal with the deaths of Muslim soldiers like him
0:15:43 > 0:15:46that the Woking Burial Ground was first conceived.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50As with the provisions inside the hospitals, it was hugely
0:15:50 > 0:15:55important that every community's religious rites for burial
0:15:55 > 0:15:58would be properly observed.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00So that would mean for Hindus and Sikhs
0:16:00 > 0:16:03provisions needed to be made for cremation and
0:16:03 > 0:16:08for Muslim soldiers a specifically consecrated ground would need to
0:16:08 > 0:16:12be found where these soldiers could be buried on British soil.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17And there was a very particular reason that Woking was
0:16:17 > 0:16:20chosen for the Muslim cemetery.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24It was home to the first purpose-built Mosque in Britain.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Close to Brighton's hospitals,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30it had its own Imam who could preside over funerals.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32It was the perfect location.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39And in 1917, the burial ground was opened, less than a mile away.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52It's an important day in the burial ground's restoration.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55This morning, the team have all gathered to watch the final
0:16:55 > 0:16:58fitting of the finial on the chattri.
0:17:00 > 0:17:06My role is to help the top piece into position and down through.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13I am, in theory, experienced using these cherry pickers.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16And I did the gilding so I'm a bit personally involved.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Over the past 11 months, the brickwork and corner towers
0:17:24 > 0:17:26have been lovingly restored.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29And this will be the icing on the cake.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34They're just about to raise the finial
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and it should fit just like the last piece in the jigsaw.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39So watch this space.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45The finial has been hand made by specialist craftsmen
0:17:45 > 0:17:48to match the original from 1917.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51This has been the most difficult part of the project.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56The base is a frame of timber which is the original timber which has
0:17:56 > 0:17:59been formed like a barrel.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02That's been conserved and repaired.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05And the little petal elements on the finial
0:18:05 > 0:18:07are made from beaten copper.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09And there's not many people who do
0:18:09 > 0:18:12that sort of architectural metalwork,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16so several contractors have come together to fabricate the element.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22The difficulties in manufacturing have caused
0:18:22 > 0:18:25a delay of nearly ten months,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29jeopardising the finish date of the entire project.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31The finial was supposed to be straightforward.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34It should've been installed sometime in October,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36November last year.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37And now we're in June
0:18:37 > 0:18:39and we've finally got it.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Lowering the finial into place is a painstaking process.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50An inch wrong could lead to disaster.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56It's a precarious moment!
0:18:59 > 0:19:02But after two hours of careful manoeuvring,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04it's finally guided into place.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And for the team there's a great sense of achievement.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23It's very, very satisfying because we were a bit concerned about this,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26it being the last element to go together.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29That is a great relief.
0:19:32 > 0:19:33Goodness, I'm so excited!
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Yeah, I bet, after all of this.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41To drive down and see what I'd always hoped to see,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44the sun glinting on the finial again.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46It was fantastic.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59With the structure of the burial ground restored,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01work has begun on the installation of a garden.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07And Zafar's recruited the army to help bring it to life.
0:20:08 > 0:20:09Thank you very much for coming.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12You being here today was a very important part,
0:20:12 > 0:20:13right from the beginning.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21If I can get you all just to look at me.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23That's the one.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Usually we don't wear gloves like this,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29cos it doesn't go with our designer clothes,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31but for this moment, we'll make an exception.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36They're joined by a group of local school children,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38who'll be planting heathers.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Set them out as you can see in their individual lines.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43And then just fill them round.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46And then that's it, OK?
0:20:46 > 0:20:50I'm Muslim too and my great-grandfather
0:20:50 > 0:20:54fought in World War I and he was buried in England as well.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00I didn't know him but I heard he was a great man.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05The garden's been designed according to Islamic principles.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11And the plants that have been chosen are both practical and symbolic.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14These are Himalayan silver birches.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Two trees on this side,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and three on the other side which will be planted today
0:21:18 > 0:21:21and that'll make a total of 27 to represent
0:21:21 > 0:21:24each of the soldiers who were actually buried at this site.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30The trees are being placed around the edge of the garden.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33It's good though, isn't it? It's all about the heel.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Down the centre, there'll be a water feature
0:21:35 > 0:21:38to reflect the Muslim idea of paradise.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47It's been a long day but the garden has started to take shape.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Thank you very much. Thank you for all your time.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Most appreciated.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- See you next time.- Take care.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56- Thank you.- See you. Thank you.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58With the soldiers' work done,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Zafar has a moment to himself to survey what's been achieved.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03You know, when I started this
0:22:03 > 0:22:05I never thought it would be like this,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09in terms of the complexity of it and what we'd end up with.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12What we really thought about was
0:22:12 > 0:22:16that we'd just have the walls repaired
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and possibly have some grass in here and things like that and
0:22:19 > 0:22:23it's ended up having a proper garden in here now.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I didn't think it would be this good, to be honest with you.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36One of the final tasks for the completion of the garden is
0:22:36 > 0:22:39the making of the memorial stone to honour the soldiers.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43And today Zafar and Elizabeth are
0:22:43 > 0:22:46visiting a local stonemason's to check on progress.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Hi, Andy, nice to meet you.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51- Good to see you.- Hi, Andy.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Nice to see you again.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54Yes, lovely to see you.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57OK, so this is what we've been waiting for.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Looks big, doesn't it?
0:22:59 > 0:23:00- It's huge.- Yeah, it's huge.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06It was very important to have a memorial stone because otherwise
0:23:06 > 0:23:09the garden wouldn't have a meaning.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It would just be an Islamic garden
0:23:12 > 0:23:18and it was important to have the names of the soldiers somewhere, somehow.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20It brings it home to you that they
0:23:20 > 0:23:23were real people who gave their lives.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29The main part of the stone is granite,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31carved and shipped from India.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35And seeing it for the first time is an exciting moment.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- So, what do you think? - Yeah, it's brilliant.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Right from the beginning we were thinking of having
0:23:39 > 0:23:42something like this to be the centrepiece, the focal point.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45The main focus. When you walk in the garden,
0:23:45 > 0:23:47your eye's going to go straight to this.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52The recesses will be inset with Portland stone from
0:23:52 > 0:23:56the south of England, with the names of the men carved on them.
0:23:57 > 0:24:03But before carving can begin, the final layout has to be approved.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07And getting the detail exactly right is a big responsibility.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13It's 27 names altogether and nine on each panel, then, isn't it?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Yes.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17You're happy?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21If not, we'll never tell anybody.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24LAUGHTER
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Once the computer sends the information to the cutting machine,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29there's no going back!
0:24:30 > 0:24:34We are now, by your command, ready to go.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Happy to do so?- Yeah.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Take a deep breath. Yes!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14It's a very difficult feeling to describe in terms of almost
0:25:14 > 0:25:19an awe of what this actually represents.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29There is this feeling of importance
0:25:29 > 0:25:33of writing those names on the stone.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42For a very long time, people will actually visit this place
0:25:42 > 0:25:47and will actually be seeing these.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49And we had a little bit of a part to play in it.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Zafar has spent five years trying to find
0:26:00 > 0:26:03the relatives of any of the soldiers.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06And he's finally made contact with one of them...
0:26:09 > 0:26:11..a descendent of Sikander Khan.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16With the garden's completion within sight,
0:26:16 > 0:26:21Zafar's planned a trip to Pakistan to visit Sikander's family.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Zafar is finally on his way to meet Abdul Nagib,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Sikander Khan's great, great nephew.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43And to get a glimpse of the world Sikander came from.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50I'm hoping that when I meet Mr Abdul Naguib that I'll learn more about
0:26:50 > 0:26:56the life of Sikander Khan himself as a person.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00And one of the things I'm really interested in actually seeing
0:27:00 > 0:27:03is the graves of Sikander Khan's
0:27:03 > 0:27:06father and mother and just
0:27:06 > 0:27:11feel how he would've actually felt when he got the news of his son's
0:27:11 > 0:27:13ultimate sacrifice for a cause
0:27:13 > 0:27:17which he probably didn't even understand.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Sikander came from a small, rural village called Talokar,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27in what was the north west frontier of India,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29now Pakistan.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32And in the First World War, it made one of the biggest
0:27:32 > 0:27:36contributions of soldiers to the British Indian army.
0:27:37 > 0:27:43Around 240 of its most able men joined up.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Amongst them, Sikander Khan.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52The Khan family home is one of the most affluent in the village.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56And for Zafar, meeting the descendant of one of the soldiers
0:27:56 > 0:28:00he's been working so hard to honour, is a humbling moment.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- So good to see you. - Good to see you as well.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- Was nice talking to you on the phone.- Thank you.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12Abdul's grandfather was Sikander Khan's first cousin.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15He built this house in 1905.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19And growing up, Sikander would've been a regular visitor here.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23What sort of man was Sikander and what do you know about him?
0:28:23 > 0:28:29Sikander Khan was living nearby this house
0:28:29 > 0:28:33and he was born in 1894.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36And he was part of a family which actually had
0:28:36 > 0:28:40come from Afghanistan from the Kandahar in the 1700s.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42We had lots of agricultural land and
0:28:42 > 0:28:45so he was a strong young lad at that moment.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48And do you know what happened to him and where he fought?
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Sikander Khan was a volunteer,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and he went to fight for the British.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58And he was given some training,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02especially on map reading along with other fighting techniques.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07He left this village in December 1914 and then went to France.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10While he was fighting, he was injured
0:29:10 > 0:29:14and for almost five months he was being treated
0:29:14 > 0:29:17but he didn't survive.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25But Abdul's version of events raises a mystery.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27According to military records,
0:29:27 > 0:29:33the 82nd Punjabis, in which Sikander served, never came to France.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36In fact, they were stationed in India
0:29:36 > 0:29:40and then Mesopotamia for the entire duration of the war.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44The only explanation for Sikander Khan's arrival
0:29:44 > 0:29:46on the Western Front is really that
0:29:46 > 0:29:50the lines were depleted so fast
0:29:50 > 0:29:55that the British Army made recourse to troops, smaller contingents,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58that were actually stationed out in Mesopotamia
0:29:58 > 0:30:02to very quickly plug the line as fast as possible.
0:30:02 > 0:30:08This could explain why Sikander Khan ended up in France,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10embroiled in the trenches.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Evidence reveals that some of the 82nd Punjabis
0:30:16 > 0:30:19were attached to the 59th Rifles,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22a regiment that was involved in one of the bloodiest
0:30:22 > 0:30:26and most horrifying conflicts of the entire war...
0:30:31 > 0:30:33..the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40The experience the Indian soldiers
0:30:40 > 0:30:42had of that battle was absolutely ferocious.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Over 13,000 soldiers killed in that one battle.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57The battle took place in March, 1915,
0:30:57 > 0:30:59and the object was to eliminate
0:30:59 > 0:31:02a bulge in the lines held by the Germans with
0:31:02 > 0:31:05the Germans on this side.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08It was very, very important that the line was held there,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11because the fear was, if Neuve Chapelle fell,
0:31:11 > 0:31:15the Germans could overrun the rest of Northern France.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21The plan of attack was to have a pincer movement.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22British forces coming in here,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Indian forces coming in here.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30In this particular area here, we're fairly certain was Sikander Khan,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33holding the line facing the German trenches.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40It's almost certain in that time that Sikander Khan was
0:31:40 > 0:31:44hit by bullets or shrapnel or shells and mortally wounded.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Sikander Khan died on 25th September, 1915,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54and there's a poignant end to his story.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Did he have any brothers and sisters?
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Unfortunately, no. And he was not also married.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04So his father really gave the ultimate sacrifice?
0:32:04 > 0:32:09That it's the end of his line, in terms of future.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14As Zafar's visit draws to an end,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Abdul takes him to visit the family graveyard.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23The graves of Sikander's parents no longer exist.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30But for Zafar, it's their loss that's touched him most.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39In many ways, I do feel sad for Sikander Khan's father especially.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44In our culture, if you lose the only son
0:32:44 > 0:32:48you lose the family and the lineage of that family.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54So Sikander Khan's father didn't just lose a son,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57he lost his lineage.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59And that is very sad, really.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12At long last, it's the morning of the opening ceremony.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14And everyone who's been involved with
0:33:14 > 0:33:18the restoration of the Muslim burial ground is gathering to
0:33:18 > 0:33:22celebrate the completion of what's been an enormous achievement.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28So we've got the army here. Five or six people from the army here.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Zafar's secured a royal guest of honour to open the burial ground,
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Prince Edward.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35Can we have the cloak on this, please?
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Who's got the cloak?
0:33:38 > 0:33:42So before the ceremony can begin, he has to do a run through of
0:33:42 > 0:33:46proceedings with Buckingham Palace press secretary, Colette Saunders.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Right, as long as this comes off quite easily.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Can you try it?
0:33:50 > 0:33:52And he'll just give it to whoever's next to him.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I'm probably more likely to be next to him at that time.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Even on this special day, Ken Donaldson, project manager,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02and Paul Rimmer have very practical concerns on their minds.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Are you saying that steam cleaning will do it?- Yes.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Or do we need to use chemicals? I'd rather not use chemicals.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- Don't use chemicals. You don't use chemicals on limestone.- OK.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14You need a wetsuit and face protection.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16The Earl of Wessex is running late,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18giving Zafar time to catch up with
0:34:18 > 0:34:22the Imam for the armed forces, who's leading today's prayers.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Good job. You should be so proud of yourself.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29An anxious half hour later,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31and the Royal guest finally arrives.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- Very nice to meet you. - Very nice to meet you as well.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- You've been the architect for all this, really.- Yes, yes.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42After five years' hard work,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45for Zafar and Elizabeth it's a proud moment.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48May I introduce you to Elizabeth Cuttle?
0:34:48 > 0:34:52- Hello.- The person who was delegated to work with me on this.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- Are you all involved?- Yes.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Come and gather round.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59And the ceremony can begin.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56It's been an unforgettable day.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05And a reminder of a shared history
0:36:05 > 0:36:08that might lead to a more united future.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Why it's really important is that this demonstrates the values
0:36:12 > 0:36:15which Muslims share with Britain.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20And that is about protecting people's freedoms,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22protecting security, protecting our country,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25being united against those people who want to
0:36:25 > 0:36:27divide our community.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33In today's world, where there is so much of Islamophobia,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37it is very important to reclaim and understand
0:36:37 > 0:36:42this cemetery because what it shows the Muslim soldiers to be
0:36:42 > 0:36:46are not just religious subjects but warmly human.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49They've given their best,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52they often failed to comprehend. They went through a terrible time.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57And it is this common humanity ultimately that is far more
0:36:57 > 0:37:01important than either religion or anything else.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10Today marks the end of a long journey for Zafar and Elizabeth.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15I think I shall feel a bit deflated.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18But I shall sit and think about the last few years.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22All that's been achieved. And how I hope that it will get
0:37:22 > 0:37:26a life of its own, the garden, and many people will come to it.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33It makes you feel good inside.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37It's difficult to explain that feeling.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40I myself only have only got two or
0:37:40 > 0:37:45three feelings like that in my life in terms of doing
0:37:45 > 0:37:49something which actually means something, not just for yourself,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53but maybe it means something for a lot of other people in the future.
0:38:00 > 0:38:05It says it all, really, about remembering those who
0:38:05 > 0:38:08gave their lives for the country.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13Even though they were from India and were Muslims.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15Oh, it's just beautiful.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22In many ways, it's a humbling experience that God's
0:38:22 > 0:38:26actually asking you to do something you didn't think
0:38:26 > 0:38:28it'd be you doing it.
0:38:30 > 0:38:31You feel thankful.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35That's the way I feel.